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Dictionary of Vexillology: N (Nebuly – Numeral Pennant)

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NEBULY
NEEDLEWORK
NEF
NEOGRENADINE TRICOLOUR (or NEOGRENADINE TRIBAND)
NEO-NAZI FLAGS
NETTLE LEAF
NIMBED
NIMBUS
NISSHOKI
NOBORI
NOIR
NORDIC CROSS
NORTH-EAST DIAGONAL
NORTH-SOUTH DIAGONAL
NUMBER FLAG (or PENNANT)
NUMERAL (or NUMERIC SIGNAL) FLAG
NUMERAL PENNANT

NEBULY

(adj.) The heraldic term for a sharply undulating line of division on a shield, banner or arms or a flag, or the edge of an ordinary such as a fess or chevron, and intended to represent clouds – but see note below (also ‘banner of arms’, ‘fess’, ‘chevron 1)’ and ‘ordinary’).

Flags of Meisterschwanden, Tartar and Buochs, Switzerland

Please note that this term is not to be confused with unde, undy or wavy – see ‘wavy’.

NEEDLEWORK

See ‘embroider’

NEF

A type of single-masted, medieval trading vessel (usually shown with fore and aft castles as equipped for war) – but see ancient ship, cog and the note below.

Flag and Arms of New Brunswick, Canada (fotw & Wikipedia); Flag of Elblag County, Poland

Please note that the terms "nef" and "cog" both refer to a single-masted sailing vessel and are generally considered interchangeable, however, properly speaking the earlier cog was steered most often by a long oar, whereas the later nef invariably had a stern mounted rudder.

NEOGRENADINE TRICOLOUR (or NEOGRENADINE TRIBAND)

The terms sometimes applied to a horizontal tricolour whose upper stripe occupies one half of the flag's width (see also ‘uneven tricolour ’).

National Flag of Colombia; Flag of Jaramijo, Ecuador; National Flag of Ecuador

Please note that the term dates from the early 19th century, and the South American wars of liberation against Spain – see ‘flag family’.

NEO-NAZI FLAGS

See ‘rune(s)’ (also ‘arrow cross’, ‘cross potent’, ‘sun cross’ and ‘swastika’).

Flag of the New Triumph Party, Argentina; Flag of National Democratic Party (1999–2009), Lithuania; Flag of the Hungarian Welfare Association, Hungary

NETTLE LEAF

In continental (often but not exclusively German) heraldry, a term for the (usually) white charge that is reputed to be a development of the zigzag border (see also ‘serrated 1)’).

Flag of Pinneberg, Germany; Flag of Tangstedt, Germany; Flag of Preetz City, Germany

NIMBED

The heraldic term for being depicted wearing a halo – see ‘nimbus’

Flag and Arms of Škabrnje, Croatia

NIMBUS

The heraldic term for a halo, the aura (or circle of light) that surrounds the head in the representation of a saint or of a holy animal – see ‘nimbed’ (also ‘agnus dei’ ‘aureole’ ‘Eye of God’ and ‘mandoria’).

Flag of Saint-Cierges, Switzerland; Flag of the Veneto Region, Italy; Flag of Glarus, Switzerland

NISSHOKI

See ‘hinomaru’.

National Flag of Japan

NOBORI

See ‘daimyo flags’

NOIR

The French for black and sometimes (mistakenly) used instead of the correct heraldic term sable – see ‘sable’.

NORDIC CROSS

See ‘Scandinavian cross’.

National Flag of Iceland

NORTH-EAST DIAGONAL

A diagonal stripe running from the upper fly edge to the lower hoist corner, whose corners may or may not touch the corners of the flag but whose width is contained within the length of the flag at its top edge and the width of the flag at its fly (see also ‘Appendix IX’, ‘ascending diagonal’, ‘descending diagonal’, ‘east-south diagonal’, ‘east-west diagonal’, ‘north-south diagonal’, ‘south-east diagonal’, ‘south-north diagonal’, ‘west-east diagonal’), ‘west-north diagonal’, and ‘west-south diagonal’).

Flag of Nýrov, Czechia

Please note that this term, whilst an extension of those existing and established, has been introduced by the editors.

NORTH-SOUTH DIAGONAL

A diagonal stripe that runs from the upper hoist to the lower fly, and whose corners generally (but not invariably) touch the corners of the flag but whose width is entirely contained within the length of the flag – an enhanced bend – see ‘bend’ (also ‘ascending diagonal’, ‘descending diagonal’, ‘east-west diagonal’, ‘north-east diagonal’, ‘south-east diagonal’, ‘south-north diagonal’, ‘west-east diagonal’), ‘west-north diagonal’), and ‘west-south diagonal’).

Flag of Jama Canton, Ecuador; National Flag of Trinidad and Tobago; Flag of Aspariegos, Spain

NUMBER FLAG (or PENNANT)

See 'insurance flag'.

19th century Number/Insurance Flag from Stralsund, Germany (Željko Heimer)

NUMERAL (or NUMERIC SIGNAL) FLAG

Any one of a set of straight-sided flags of simple design representing the numerals zero to nine, and used in some naval flag signal codes – a numeric signal flag (see also 'numeral pennant' and ‘signal flag’).

Numeral Flags 1, 2 & 7 in the RN/USN/NATO Code of Naval Signals)

NUMERAL PENNANT

Any one of a set of tapered square-ended pennants (or trapezoids) of simple design representing the numerals zero to nine, and used in the International Code of Signal flags as well as some naval flag signal codes (see also ‘code pennant’, ‘International Code of Signal Flags ’, 'numeral flag', ‘signal flag’, ‘substitute’ and ‘trapezoid 2)’).

Numeral Pennants 0 and 7 in the International Code of Signals

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